Today we’d like to introduce you to Jiyeon Kim-Myung.
Hi Jiyeon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I always had a strong inclination towards creativity from a very young age, yet my journey as a filmmaker didn’t start until recently. Growing up in Seoul, South Korea with typical Asian parents wanting you to become a medical doctor or a lawyer, or an engineer, or a rocket scientist, I was left with little room to consider arts as a career option. I loved creative writing, but it was never more than a mere pastime in my mind.
I don’t know if this was also the case in the US, but in early/mid 2000s, electronic dictionary was one of the hugest things in Korea. It looked like a mini laptop and had so many functions on top of the basic dictionary search. It even had a touch screen and came with its own pen. This was way before smartphones and it was the coolest thing a kid could own.
During similar times, Internet novels (web fiction) surged in Korea. Several of them were adapted into popular movies like My Sassy Girl and Temptation of Wolves. As a ten-year-old girl, of course, I admired the glam and fame surrounding the Internet novel writers and dabbled in writing a few novels myself on my tiny electronic dictionary. My parents wanted me to study English and Chinese with it, but I made the most use of it on my own terms.
As I got into middle school and high school, the academics got more rigorous, and I no longer had the time to fool around with such. Jump to 2013, I arrived in LA for college. I was still an economics major thinking I’d end up being a consultant or an investment banker. However, four years in the city (technically not LA but Claremont, but it was close enough to LA to influence me) completely changed me. Watching and talking to people working in the film industry made me realize for the first time that pursuing filmmaking is a viable profession.
Following my undergraduate studies, I took a year-long screenwriting class from the UCLA professional programs, then went on to get my MFA degree in Film & TV production from Loyola Marymount University. I graduated early this May, and here I am now as one of the many other Angelenos working in the industry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I started my MFA program during the height of the 2020 Covid pandemic, then graduated straight into one of the largest industry-wide strikes in 2023. Grad school was my official first step toward my dream and it felt like a failed rocket launch that exploded five seconds after the takeoff. I somehow managed to duct tape the exploded ship and continue on with the journey. I got my MFA degree, but that didn’t mean much with the industry shutting down. I started working as a part-time barista after graduation to support myself through the strike. I still work at the cafe even with the strike over because it gives me more stability and peace of mind than having to look for gig after gig every three days.
I think this is something all emerging filmmakers struggle with. Paying rent and buying food with part-time jobs is one thing, but saving up enough money for your next project is a whole other struggle. As a writer-director, I am dying to shoot another short film. I love the creative partnership with my collaborators; I love the crazy busy set energy, I get high on them; I love talking with the actors and seeing them bring my story to life. But I don’t know when this will happen again. I’ve been applying to fellowships and production grants, and so far, it’s all only been rejection letters.
I try to be cool and not take it personally, but those rejection letters build up and sometimes they make me question, am I not worthy enough to be a filmmaker? The same goes for film festivals. My thesis film “Over Easy” got into the first two festivals that I ever submitted to, the OutSouth: Queer Film Festival and the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival. I was really proud of myself and my team. But then after these two… My FilmFreeway page looks depressing. Maybe it’s time for me to start looking for a therapist.
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth sail, but what’s the fun in it if there isn’t any challenge? These days, when I’m not working at the café, I’m trying to write as much as I can. I’m working on developing a TV idea and revising my feature script. Trying to keep it creative.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a writer-director, which I feel is what half the population in Los Angeles is. I think this goes for all creatives, but you can’t be a filmmaker without your distinct voice, especially in an era of Chat-GPT. Screenwriting is all about structures: the inciting incident must happen around page 10, the hero must leave his current life and go on a journey by page 30, the mentor figure should die by the end of act 2, etc. Analyzing data and plugging them into the right formula is what AI software can do the best. However, they can’t replicate the authentic emotional experiences and unique perspectives humans can offer.
I take pride in writing from the heart – which sometimes can become just a massive trauma dump, but sometimes you need to get it out of your system. A personal connection to the story allows you to own the subject that you’re writing about. My stories often center around the communities that I belong to. As a filmmaker checking multiple diversity checkboxes, I try my best to represent the stories that are often unheard. I want to say that my filmmaking is very queer in the sense that it challenges what society perceives as the norm and brings different perspectives to life. My first short film “Alexa” was a love story between humans and artificial intelligence, and my most recent short “Over Easy” is about two lesbian women who don’t want to be mothers. I love incorporating fantastical elements into my writing. For example, I had a giant egg that would hatch into a baby being delivered to couples in “Over Easy.” I’m also working on a feature spec script about a gumiho (Korean mythical creature, nine-tailed fox) family living among us humans. I also tend to experiment with forms and genres like blending animation in live-action films.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I firmly embrace the philosophy of “no risk, no reward.” Risk by definition is supposed to be dangerous and scary, but I try to keep a positive attitude when facing such. I vividly recall the apprehension and anxiety I felt before moving here to the US ten years ago. I came here by myself and had no family or connections whatsoever in this country. I even thought of deferring my college acceptance for a year. It was a huge risk, but now I get to enjoy the Southern California sunshine as much as I want. Changing my career into filmmaking was another huge risk that I took. It meant giving up a stable life, but it has allowed me to pursue my true passion. Even when making films, I make a conscious effort to be unapologetically bold and vocal, fearlessly articulating the messages close to my heart.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jynkmmyng/
Image Credits
Migyeong Jang, Ashley Blalock, Po Wei Su
